Inclusion Policy

Inclusion Policy

Volunteering and Employment Opportunities

ChickTech provides equal volunteer and employment opportunities to all employees, volunteers, and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related) or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to hiring, placement, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

ChickTech is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, and program participants.

(thanks to cPanel for having such a great example of a non-discrimination policy!)

Career-Level and General Events

Although ChickTech focuses on anyone who identifies as a woman/girl for these events and our goal is to empower women/girls, we also welcome those who identify as men as participants. Any person may be asked to not participate and/or leave if they are being disruptive or creating an unwelcome environment for others.

K-12 Events

For our K-12 programs, any child who identifies as a girl is welcome to participate. Trans youth of any gender, gender fluid, and non-gender binary youth are also welcome! At partner events, this policy may vary in terms of whether boys are invited to attend as well. For example, a library may ask that all children be allowed to participate.

The benefit of an all-girl experience is supported by a significant body of research. See below for excerpts from other well-established girl-oriented organizations regarding this topic.

Girl Scouts
As stated by Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., “an organization whose sole purpose is to meet the unique needs of girls is not discriminatory. In conferring a Congressional Charter upon Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. in 1950, the Congress of the United States explicitly stated that the youth membership was for girls. When the Congress enacted Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to prohibit Federal financial assistance to educational organizations which discriminate on the basis of sex, it expressly recognized an exception for the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts and other voluntary youth organizations, ‘membership of which has traditionally been limited to persons of one sex and principally to persons of less than nineteen years of age‘.“

Girls Inc.
The philosophy of Girls Inc. programming directs that our approach be compensatory for girls as well as intentional. As put forth in the statement of philosophy, we live in an inequitable society in which gender discrimination and numerous social, legal and cultural barriers limit girls’ opportunities and potential… Thus, Girls Inc. programming is designed to compensate for both the overt (obvious) and covert (hidden) gender discrimination girls and women encounter, enabling girls to overcome barriers to reaching their full potential.

According to Girls Inc, girls continue to face specific challenges, particularly girls of color and those from low-income backgrounds:

4.7 million girls ages 5-19 in the U.S. live below the poverty line.

Girls continue to be barraged by messages that communicate girls’ objectification and limitations. Girls are told their value lies in their appearance, not their intelligence or strength.

Although women have constituted nearly half the civilian labor force for the last thirty years, they comprise just 4 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs and only 26 percent of those holding science and engineering jobs in the U.S.

In an all-girl setting, every leadership position is filled by a girl. Girls interact with more female role models including capable and dynamic women from diverse backgrounds.

In all-girl environments, girls are recognized for their achievements. This can result in a boost of self-confidence and a heightened awareness of what girls and young women can achieve.